German DaY
Official 2020 German Day Website
2020 ResultS
THEME: Ode an die Freude, Ode an die ErdE
OFFICIAL 2020 GERMAN DAY WEBSITE
Honorable Mention Extemporaneous Speaking Level 3: David T.
3rd Place Level 1&2 Skits: Niru S., Joey K., Kerry D., Ryan S.
3rd Place Kulturpokal (Quiz Bowl) Level 3: Elijah G-K., Emmett L., Emily C.
2nd Place Kulturpokal (Quiz Bowl) Level 1&2: Niru S., Joey K., Ryan S.
3rd Place Photography: Keeley D.
2nd Place Photography: Penelope V.
1st Place Poster: Keeley D.
1st Place 2-D Art: Rachel L.
Keeley D. has won the most lifetime awards at German Day in Apex High School history!
3rd Place Level 1&2 Skits: Niru S., Joey K., Kerry D., Ryan S.
3rd Place Kulturpokal (Quiz Bowl) Level 3: Elijah G-K., Emmett L., Emily C.
2nd Place Kulturpokal (Quiz Bowl) Level 1&2: Niru S., Joey K., Ryan S.
3rd Place Photography: Keeley D.
2nd Place Photography: Penelope V.
1st Place Poster: Keeley D.
1st Place 2-D Art: Rachel L.
Keeley D. has won the most lifetime awards at German Day in Apex High School history!
2019 ResultS
THEME: #WUNDERBARZUSAMMEN
OFFICIAL 2019 GERMAN DAY WEBSITE
1st Place T-Shirt Design: Allyson H.
1st Place Poster: Allyson H.
1st Place Poetry Level 3+: Katelin M.
1st Place Photography: Keeley D. (Apex HS has 3-peated as champs in this event!!)
2nd Place Verb Bee: Savanna C.
2nd Place Level 1&2 Skits: Grace B., Kyler F., Megan G., Sarah S., Mary W.
1st Place Poster: Allyson H.
1st Place Poetry Level 3+: Katelin M.
1st Place Photography: Keeley D. (Apex HS has 3-peated as champs in this event!!)
2nd Place Verb Bee: Savanna C.
2nd Place Level 1&2 Skits: Grace B., Kyler F., Megan G., Sarah S., Mary W.
2018 Results
THEME: LAss uns Reden!
OFFICIAL 2018 GERMAN DAY WEBSITE
Honorable Mention Extemporaneous Speaking Level 2: Ali R.
3rd Place Karaoke: Cassie B., Keeley D., Malin J.
2nd Place Verb Bee: Will S.
2nd Place Poetry Level 3: Katelin M.
3rd Place 2-D Art: Malin J.
1st Place 2-D Art: Helen J.
1st Place Photography: Calvin R.
1st Place Songs (a capella): Sean E.
1st Place Extemporaneous Speaking Level 1: Emily C.
2nd Place School Overall: Apex High School
3rd Place Karaoke: Cassie B., Keeley D., Malin J.
2nd Place Verb Bee: Will S.
2nd Place Poetry Level 3: Katelin M.
3rd Place 2-D Art: Malin J.
1st Place 2-D Art: Helen J.
1st Place Photography: Calvin R.
1st Place Songs (a capella): Sean E.
1st Place Extemporaneous Speaking Level 1: Emily C.
2nd Place School Overall: Apex High School
Events
1. T-Shirt Design Contest (must address & include the theme: Ode an die Freude, Ode an die Erde )
2. Singing (A Capella; Acoustic Accompaniment; Singing & Dancing) (German song - any topic/theme)
3. Kultur-Pokal (Trivia Competition) (Levels I, II, Heritage Speaker)
4. Art (2D; Poster; Photography) (based on theme: Ode an die Freude, Ode an die Erde)
5. Extemporaneous Speaking (Levels I, II, Heritage Speaker)
6. Poetry (Level I, II, III, Heritage Speaker)
7. Spelling Bee (German I/II)
8. Verb Bee (German III+)
9. Karaoke / Air Band
10. Skit Competition (Team) (Levels I & II) (skit must mention theme: Ode an die Freude, Ode an die Erde)
11. Schnitzeljagd (Scavenger Hunt) (must already be attending & competing in another event also)
2. Singing (A Capella; Acoustic Accompaniment; Singing & Dancing) (German song - any topic/theme)
3. Kultur-Pokal (Trivia Competition) (Levels I, II, Heritage Speaker)
4. Art (2D; Poster; Photography) (based on theme: Ode an die Freude, Ode an die Erde)
5. Extemporaneous Speaking (Levels I, II, Heritage Speaker)
6. Poetry (Level I, II, III, Heritage Speaker)
7. Spelling Bee (German I/II)
8. Verb Bee (German III+)
9. Karaoke / Air Band
10. Skit Competition (Team) (Levels I & II) (skit must mention theme: Ode an die Freude, Ode an die Erde)
11. Schnitzeljagd (Scavenger Hunt) (must already be attending & competing in another event also)
T-Shirt Design Contest
- Up to 5 entries per school
- Deadline: February 8
- Include the name of student, school, and German teacher on back of design
- Entries are a black-on-white line-drawing image for the front of the t-shirt. The design must reflect the German Day theme and include the words of this motto, Ode an die Freude, Ode an die Erde
- Entries should only have black ink in the drawing, lines should be thick and even, as intricate details usually cannot be reproduced.
- The back of the shirt will have the words "North Carolina German Day 2019", so the design need not include those words.
Note: designs can be inspired by other sources (the internet, advertisements, clipart, etc.) but these sources are allowed to be only a portion of the artist's own creation, not the entire entry concept itself. Well-executed, hand-drawn designs will receive first consideration.
Deadline for submission is February 9 at the NC-AATG Spring Meeting or email your entries by February 8 to [email protected]. The NCAATG membership will vote on the winning t-shirt design at this meeting. The artist of the winning logo will be recognized at the awards ceremony.
Students will be able to preview the winning logo on the NCAATG website. T-shirts bearing the chosen logo must be pre-ordered and pre-paid ($10; see the registration form) and will be distributed only at German Day on March 21, 2019.
Singing Competition
- Levels I and II
- Up to 4 performances per school, 2 in each level.
- 1st place prizes will be awarded in 3 categories:
- a cappella
- singing with student acoustic accompaniment
- singing and dancing
- a cappella
- Honorable mention will also be awarded
Guidelines:
- Level I is for beginners (German 1 & 2). Level II is for intermediate and advanced students (German 3+).
- Presentation: An individual German song or a medley.
- Singing and dancing category performance may use props, costumes, and student accompaniment, but no sound systems. The performance must stay within the setup and performance time limit.
- Setup time: 3 minutes; Performance time: 1-3 minutes.
- Group size: 2 - 20 participants.
- Judging criteria include: sound quality, musicality, clarity/diction, memory and smoothness, expressiveness, dramatic interpretation. Singing and Dancing category also include originality/creativity and overall performance for costumes and dance routine.
- Actual judging criteria grid: 1 point (inadequate, poor), 2 points (average, acceptable), 3 points (good), 4 points (excellent).
Kultur-Pokal (Trivia Competition)
- Levels I (Deutsch 1 & 2), II (Deutsch 3+), and Heritage
- Please note that there will be a separate (challenging!) competition for heritage speakers. There will be no teams; rather each student will compete as an individual.
Guidelines:
- Each school may enter three teams per level, each consisting of three students, or in the case of heritage speakers, three individuals.
- All questions for Level I will be given in English and should be answered in English. All questions for Level II will be given in German and should be answered in German.
- The competitions for Levels I and II begin with a written qualifying round that includes all teams for that level. Fifteen questions will be given to each team on paper. Team members may consult with each other but not with any outside sources. They will have 8 minutes to write down their answers. The sheets will be collected and scored; illegible answers will be scored as incorrect.
- The top five teams in each level move on to a second, written round
- In the second round, ten questions are supplied on paper, two of which are marked as challenge questions. The answer to a challenge question is worth two points, but an incorrect answer results in the loss of one point. A team may therefore elect not to try to answer a challenge question. All teams will have 7 minutes to answer the questions. Sheets will be collected and scored.
- The top three teams then play a final round. In this round, the teams answer orally, one after the other. The question may be repeated a second time upon request, but the team must then supply an answer within 30 seconds. The first team will be given a question; if the team supplies a correct answer, they receive one point; however, if they supply an incorrect answer, the second team is asked the same question. Likewise, if the second team also supplies an incorrect answer, the third team is asked that question. Once a question is answered correctly, the next team gets a new question. The first team to the highest score after twelve questions have been asked is the champion. If the score is tied, three more questions will be asked to determine the winner.
- Some possible source materials to guide teachers and students will be forthcoming.
Art / Design Competitions
Up to 9 entries (3 in each category) per school.
Guidelines:
All entries must address this year's German Day theme. Students will bring their art submissions to German Day, where they will be on display in a designated area. All participating teachers and judges cast 3 votes: 3 points for first place, 2 points for second, 1 point for third. First, second, and third place winners will be announced at the awards ceremony.
Guidelines:
All entries must address this year's German Day theme. Students will bring their art submissions to German Day, where they will be on display in a designated area. All participating teachers and judges cast 3 votes: 3 points for first place, 2 points for second, 1 point for third. First, second, and third place winners will be announced at the awards ceremony.
- 2-D Art
- Any media can be used: painting, drawing, pen and ink, pencil, pastel, etc.
- Maximum dimensions are 30 inches x 30 inches.
- The piece must have a title.
- A card with the title, artist's name, school, and teacher must be attached to the front of the entry.
- Photography
- One division, encompassing both black/white and color.
- The photograph must be mounted on heavy stock or board.
- Maximum size of the photograph is 30 inches x 30 inches.
- The photograph must have a title.
- A card with the title, photographer's name, school, and teacher must be attached to the front of the entry.
- Poster Contest
- Students design posters based upon the German Day theme.
- A card with the title, artist's name, school, and teacher must be attached to the front of the entry.
- Students design posters based upon the German Day theme.
Extemporaneous Speaking
- Levels I, II, and H (separate section for heritage learners)
- Up to 6 students (2 in each level) per school
Guidelines:
- Level I
- For students in German 1 and 2.
- Students will draw one of 7 topic cards lying face down on the judges’ table. They have 30 seconds to collect their thoughts before addressing the topic for one minute.
- No dictionary or outside help is permitted.
- Topics are Familie und Freunde, Haus/Wohnung und Wohnort, Schulleben, Sport und Freizeit, Essen, Kleidung und Wetter, Hausarbeiten.
- For students in German 1 and 2.
- Level II
- For students in German 3 and above.
- Students will draw one of 7 topic cards lying face down on the judges’ table. They have 1 minute to prepare before addressing their topic for 90 seconds.
- No dictionary or outside help is permitted.
- Students may write and use brief notes.
- Topics are Ferien und Reisen, Gesundheit und Krankheit, Berufe und zukünftiges Leben, Wegbeschreibung, Tiere, einkaufen gehen, Feste und Feiertage. Students may be expected to use conversational past, future, and some subjunctive II.
Criteria for Judging (0-5 points in each category)
- Clarity and fluency
- Grammatical accuracy
- Range of vocabulary and idiom
- Creativity and liveliness
Level I
- Erzähle, wo du wohnst (Staat, Ort, Straße) und wie dein Haus und dein Zimmer aussehen.
- Erzähle etwas über deine Familie und deine Freunde (Personen, Name, Alter, Aussehen, Hobbies)
- Was machst du gern in deiner Freizeit (Hobbies, Interessen, Spiel, Sport und Spaß)?
- Erzähle etwas über dein Schulleben (Stundenplan, Fächer, Lehrer, Noten).
- Was isst und trinkst du gern? Wohin gehst du am liebsten essen und trinken und warum?
- Erzähle etwas über Arbeiten, bei denen du zu Hause oder anderswo hilfst (Hausarbeit, Kirchenarbeit, Sozialarbeit)
- Was für Kleidung trägst du am liebsten im Sommer und im Winter, an Wochentagen und am Sonntag?
- Erzähle etwas über eine interessante Ferienreise, die du einmal gemacht hast (Fahrt oder Flug, Stadt, Übernachtung, Sehenswürdigkeiten, Besuche, Tätigkeiten). [Conversational Past]
- Was ist wichtig, um gesund zu bleiben? Was tust du, um gesund zu leben? Warst du schon einmal krank oder verletzt? [Reflexive Verbs]
- Erzähle etwas über deinen Traumberuf, dein Traumhaus und deine Traumfamilie. [Subjunctive II if possible]
- Beschreibe, wie du von deinem Haus zu deiner Schule kommst. [Some Imperative]
- Erzähle etwas über Tiere und deine Beziehung zu ihnen. (Haustiere, wilde Tiere)
- Stelle dir vor, du hättest viel Geld und könntest alles kaufen, was du wolltest. Was und wo würdest du einkaufen?
- Erzähle etwas über Feste und Feiertage, die du sehr gerne hast und erkläre, warum dir diese Tage gefallen.
- Erzähle, wo du wohnst und warum es dir da gefällt oder nicht gefällt.
- Erzähle, was dich am meisten interessiert und warum. Wie stellst du dir deine Zukunft vor?
- Wenn du die Wahl und das Geld hättest, wo, wie und mit wem würdest du leben und warum?
- Sprich über einige Vorteile und Nachteile, die man hat, wenn man eine zwei- oder sogar mehrsprachige Person ist.
- Wenn du eine einflussreiche Person wärest, was würdest du an unserer globalen Gesellschaft zu verändern versuchen und warum?
Poetry - Level I, II, III, Heritage
- Levels I, II, III, and H (separate section for heritage learners).
- Up to 8 students (2 in each level) per school.
- Students compete in the level corresponding to the level of German they are currently signed up for in school, no matter for how long they have actually been instructed on that level. Sorry, no extra consideration for those on block schedule can be made!
Guidelines:
- Each school can enter TWO students per level.
- Level I is for beginning students (German 1), Level II for intermediate students (German 2), and Level III for advanced students (German 3 and above). Level H is for heritage speakers (see below).
- The poem has to be delivered entirely from memory without use of script or prompter.
- The performance is being judged in three areas: pronunciation, fluency, and interpretation.
- No special visuals are allowed to enhance the poem except for gestures and clothing (optional).
- Five minutes are allotted for each individual presentation and its judging. There are at least two judges for each event and their decisions are final.
Level H: Heritage Speakers
- “Heritage learners” are native speakers, students who speak German at home, or students who have been to full-time German school, in Europe or a Deutsche Schule elsewhere.
- All contestants write a poem inspired by the current year’s topic and including the current slogan.
- The poem should be between 8 and 20 lines (stanzas optional).
- The contestants provide their work in written form to the judges and also present it orally, memorized, as above.
- The entries are judged according to the effectiveness of the delivery, the interesting content, correct grammar, good pronunciation, and fluency.
Link to all 2020 German Day Poems
Spelling Bee - Open to German I & II
- Open to students in German 1 and 2 only
- Up to 5 students per school.
- No heritage speakers allowed.
The words to be used are listed in this PDF file and have been selected from the current editions of Deutsch aktuell 1 and 2 and Komm mit! 1 and 2. The words have been divided into three levels of difficulty. Any words in the vocabulary lists of these textbooks may be used.
Format:
- Spelling Bee is played over three rounds, corresponding to the three levels of difficulty. The first (and easiest) round will be written. All participants will write down words read out by the judges. Judges will alternate, so students hear different speakers.
- All students having fewer than five mistakes will be allowed to continue to the second round. The judge will draw a word from a "round 2 hat" and pronounce it in German two times. The contestant will repeat the word, and spell it using GERMAN spelling and pronunciation (this is a change from the past), and say the word again. The difference between a spoken "e" and " ä" may be signified visually with the fingers. Students should say "ess-zett" to signify "ß". Once a word has been spelled and repeated, no corrections may be made. Any mistakes, including pronunciation mistakes, eliminate the candidate. Once a word has been missed, it will be passed to the next candidate. If it is missed three times in a row, the word will be relegated to the "round 3 hat." Students need not signify upper or lower case spelling for nouns and other words.
- Once all students have had a chance to do a "round 2 word," the remaining students will proceed to round 3. During this last round a word will be passed on until spelled correctly. (Only after no one gets it right will a new word be drawn). When the number of students is reduced to two, the elimination procedure changes. At that point, when Student A misses a word, Student B will be given an opportunity to spell the same word. If Student B spells that word correctly, plus the next word from the hat, then Student B will be declared the champion. If Student A misses a word and Student B, after correcting the error, misses the new word, then the missed new word shall be referred to Student A. If Student A then succeeds in correcting the error and gets the next verb right, then Student A will be declared the champion. If both students miss the same verb, both shall continue in the competition, and the one who first missed the word shall be given a new one. This procedure continues until one of the students is able to correct the other student and spell the next word correctly. That student will be declared the champion.
Verb Bee - Open to German III+
- Open to students in German 3, 4, and above.
- Up to 5 students per school.
Guidelines:
The verbs to be used have been selected from the current editions of Deutsch aktuell and Komm mit! and they are listed in this pdf file. The verbs have been divided into three levels of difficulty. Each level includes regular (weak) verbs, irregular (strong) verbs, and irregular weak verbs.
Format:
- Verb Bee is played over three rounds, corresponding to the three levels of difficulty. The first (and easiest) round will be written. All participants will fill in the remaining forms on a chart with the headings of English infinitive, German infinitive, third person singular for present, simple past, and present perfect tense.
- All students having fewer than five mistakes will be allowed to continue to the second round. The judge will draw a verb from a "round 2 hat" and pronounce it in German one time. The contestant will repeat the word, give the three principal parts in the third person singular (present, simple past, present perfect) followed by the infinitive in English. Once a verb form has been spoken, no corrections may be made. Any mistakes, incl. pronunciation mistakes (e.g., a missing Umlaut), eliminate the candidate. Once a verb has been missed, it will be passed to the next candidate. If it is missed three times in a row, the verb will be relegated to the "round 3 hat."
- Once all students have had a chance to do a "round 2 verb," the remaining students will proceed to round 3. During this last round a verb will be passed on until conjugated correctly. (Only after no one gets it right will a new verb be drawn). When the number of students is reduced to two, the elimination procedure changes (see Spelling Bee). At that point, when Student A misses a verb, Student B will be given an opportunity to conjugate the same verb. If Student B does that verb correctly, plus the next verb from the hat, then Student B will be declared the champion. If Student A misses a verb and Student B, after correcting the error, misses the new verb, then the missed new verb shall be referred to Student A. If Student A then succeeds in correcting the error and gets the next verb right, then Student A will be declared the champion. If both students miss the same verb, both shall continue in the competition, and the one who first missed the verb shall be given a new one. This procedure continues until one of the students is able to correct the other student and conjugate the next verb correctly. That student will be declared the champion.
KarAoke / Air Band
Karaoke is designed to provide students opportunities to recite popular German songs, practice their pronunciation, and also learn about the current music genres, singers and bands of German popular culture. Participants should prepare in advance to take part in this competition and will receive an award for best performance.
Guidelines:
Each entry to the karaoke contest prepare a pre-selected song from the list below that is somehow connected to the current theme of German Day. Songs are readily available via youtube.com (see links below) for students to practice. Each performing group will have a total of 2 attempts to perform the song of their choice. If in the first 20-seconds of the first attempt performers “goof up”, they will be given a chance to start anew. After the first 20-second, performers will not be allowed to start again. Each entry will be evaluated according to the following three criteria: 1) ability to sing the song in its entirety accurately and precisely (printed lyric sheets are acceptable during the performance); 2) level of artistic performance of the song before an audience (e.g., dance routine, hand movements); and 3) overall engagement with the audience.
Format:
Karaoke Song Options: Print the songs as a pdf file.
- Open to all students at all levels.
- Up to 5 entries per school. In the event that there are more entries than allowable time slots, this limit will be reduced to ensure each school has a chance to participate.
- Each entry may include anywhere from one to five performers.
Guidelines:
Each entry to the karaoke contest prepare a pre-selected song from the list below that is somehow connected to the current theme of German Day. Songs are readily available via youtube.com (see links below) for students to practice. Each performing group will have a total of 2 attempts to perform the song of their choice. If in the first 20-seconds of the first attempt performers “goof up”, they will be given a chance to start anew. After the first 20-second, performers will not be allowed to start again. Each entry will be evaluated according to the following three criteria: 1) ability to sing the song in its entirety accurately and precisely (printed lyric sheets are acceptable during the performance); 2) level of artistic performance of the song before an audience (e.g., dance routine, hand movements); and 3) overall engagement with the audience.
Format:
- Karaoke will take place in front of the audience with the projection of the song from youtube on a screen behind the group. Students will have access to microphones and sound will be adjusted in order to hear their individual voices with the music as background. Entries will be evaluated by a small panel of judges.
- German Day organizers will provide performers a microphone, amplified music, and lights. Unlike most karaoke outfits, German Day karaoke will not provide participants with a monitor with animated lyrics. Songs will retain the vocal track but audio engineers will ensure that student singers will be adequately amplified over the recorded music.
- Anyone wishing to visit the Karaoke performances is welcome to join in the audience but should be attentive, considerate and supportive. Please enter/exit the room quietly between performances.
Karaoke Song Options: Print the songs as a pdf file.
Skit Competition
- Levels I (German 1 & 2) and II (German 3+)
- Up to 2 teams per school
- This event is awarded the most points for the Overall Award competition
- Level I is for beginners (German 1 & 2), Level II is for intermediate and advanced students (German 3+).
- Language of skit is German.
- Setup time: 3 minutes; Performance time: 1-5 minutes.
- There is no limit to participants within each skit as long as the setup and performance stays within the 8-minute time limit. The time keeper will signal the group to begin and call time at the end.
- Motto: "Ode an die Freude, Ode an die Erde" - This phrase, or a version of it, must occur at least once in each skit.
- Judging criteria include: pronunciation and diction, memorization, expressiveness (verbal and non-verbal clues), originality and creativity of scene, plot and storyline.
Students may bring "portable" props including electronics and/or music, set up time will be 3 minutes, no exceptions. Heritage learners are welcome, preferably as a group, but they need to identify themselves and judges will take this into consideration for reasons of fairness.
Schnitzeljagd
A Schnitzeljagd is a scavenger hunt. This activity will require students to explore the campus of the university hosting German Day. It is an opportunity for students to become more familiar with the school and its history. The scavenger hunt contest will award 3 winners, and is a German-language contest that will require students to put their reading skills to the test! Anyone can participate in the Schnitzeljagd; prior preparation is not required!
- Open to all students, all levels (I and II; III and IV; H)
- Entries must be pairs of students. Entries may not involve teams any smaller or larger than 2!
- There are no restrictions on the number of entries per school; signup is at the Schnitzeljagd table.
- All entries receive a worksheet for their respective level as well as a campus map at the same time. Using clues on the worksheet, students must seek out locations on campus where they can collect information that answers questions related to that respective clue on the worksheet.
- The groups will be evaluated according to three criteria:
- how fast they can return to the Schnitzeljagd point of departure
- whether their worksheets are completed
- how correct their answers are.
- Dictionaries or any other vocabulary resources (printed or electronic) are not allowed.